'A ballsy paean to self-determination and body confidence ... will leave you dizzy but exhilarated ... if you read one heart-breaking yet bouncy true-life memoir this year, make sure it's this one' Sunday Times

Louise McSharry's passion is to talk to young women (and the men who love them) about being a woman in the modern world.

Drawing on her own thirtysomething years of life, in her memoir Fat Chance she writes about everything from surviving a messed up childhood, to crashing out of education and still making it, to figuring out sex, weight, feminism, make-up, friendship, workplace politics and a whole lot more.

Though she has the raw material (the early death of her father; her mother's descent into alcoholism; cancer) it was impossible for Louise to write a miserable book. So, though it has its sad moments, Fat Chance is honest, upbeat, irreverent and inspirational - just like a long chat with a best friend. A fabulous, funny and wise best friend!

'An absolutely stunning piece of work ... just a fantastic book' Roisin Ingle, Irish Times

'A brave, heart-breaking yet sometimes funny account of a life full of the issues all women encounter but rarely admit out loud' Examiner

'An open and honest straight-shooting chronicle of a rollercoaster life' RTE Guide

'Heartbreakingly honest. A sharp, well-observed, and ultimately inspirational read. Every woman should read this book' Louise O'Neill

'Louise's life reads like a thriller - I had goose-bumps throughout! Brave, funny, emotional and totally relatable' Roz Purcell

'Hugely enjoyable. So honest and insightful. I loved the positivity and the REALNESS!' Una Mullaly

'Both heart-warming and heart-breaking. Vividly raw and surprisingly visceral' Angela Scanlon

'Searingly honest' Daily Star

'Funny and heart-breaking' Sunday Mirror

'I LOVED your book ... you are inspirational!' Marian Keyes, Twitter

'Loved your book. I feel like you've been writing me incredibly personal letters and that we're now best friends' Shirley Temple Bar, Twitter

'I recommend it to EVERYONE. Really warm, witty and wise' Fatti Burke, Twitter

'A mighty woman, with cojones the size of Mexico and coolness in the face of adversity not seen since John Wayne's heyday' Irish Independent

'She's a straight shooter, honest and to the point' The Herald